Senior Year is More Than a Bit SPONTANEOUS

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming from writer/director Brian Duffield and Paramount Pictures is the story of the last year of high school, friendship, love and a weirdly a bit SPONTANEOUS.

The senior year is finally hear for Mara Carlyle (Katherine Langford) and bestie Tess (Hayley Law). Classes are in full swing and lessons are getting under way when suddenly - a classmate - well, literally explodes. The, um, leftovers have covered the room and the kids are sent screaming into the halls.

Trying to understand what has happened, each of the students is questioned and then released. Mara goes home and does what any good teenager would do - get on with life. Returning back to school and party life isn't going exactly as planned either as more kids are popping.

FBI Agent Rosetti (Yvonne Orji) talks with the kids to see if they know anything and seems to take a liking to Mara. In the meantime, Dylan (Charlie Plummer) decides to finally come clean about his long-time feelings for Mara. They have the same humor and fun side but also realize that "popping" adds a whole new level to their relationship.

Ending up in quarantine, the group tries to pass the time the best way they can as their families wait outside for news of a cure for their kids. Will they find a cure? Will love endure? Will life return to normal?

Do not pop until you find out!

Langford as Mara is witty, has great comedic timing and has the last laugh in a dig at Trump (of course I laughed myself silly). Filled with smarts and movie one liners, Langford gives her character everything crazy about being a teenager that is unsure of the future but with one more unexpected twist.

Plummer is having one heck of a year with SPONTANEOUS and the film WORDS ON BATHROOM WALLS. In both films he plays a very witty, intelligent and kindhearted teen but one is afraid of popping and the other has health issues but both are in love and that makes all the difference. There is a calming in Plummer's character choices and that says something about the roles we will see in the future. I would hate (and love) to see what he can do with a character that isn't so charming.

McNulty as Tess is the perfect yin to Mara's yang because when Mara needs it most, it is Tess that says exactly what needs to be said in exactly the way Tess dishes it out. Orji as Agent Rosetti wants to help but having kids explode for no reason does not exactly leave much room for finding evidence.

Other cast include Piper Perabo as Angela, Chelah Horsdal as Denise, Rob Huebel as Charlie, Kaitlyn Bernard as Sky, Laine MacNeil as Jenna, Doralynn Mui as Cranberry, and Mellany Barros as Katelyn.

Paramount Pictures is the longest operating and remaining major studio in Hollywood that has been on the ground floor of every major development in film. From the advent of motion pictures, to the emergence of television, through the digital revolution, Paramount Pictures has been there. During our 100-year history, we have served as the production site for thousands of notable movies and television shows. For more please visit www.paramountstudios.com.

SPONTANEOUS is a dark, light, funny, guilty laughing film about the problems of being a teen with the added fear of popping. There is humor that is quick and, in some cases, a double smack of quickness that stays one step ahead of the unfortunate events.

This takes teen angst movies to the next level and I had such fun watching it. The film never lets you settle on one emotion before it jerks you into the next which can be a tad unsettling but in a really good and original way.

In the midst of the world’s craziness right now, SPONTANEOUS gives us a reason to laugh, remember and accept that in a world where you think you've seen it all - you haven't.

In the end - who knew senior year could be so…well, spontaneous!

HBO Brings Us a Look at Being INSECURE: The Complete First Season

Jeri Jacquin

This week from HBO Home Entertainment is a look at life and the constant struggle to find love without being INSECURE: The Complete First Season.

Issa (Issa Rae) and best friend Molly (Yvonne Orji) have known each other since college. Now they are out in the real working world Issa helps low income middle school students and is currently in a relationship with Lawrence (Jay Ellis).

On her 29^th birthday, Issa wakes up to a birthday message from her ex-boyfriend which gets her to wondering. At Issa’s birthday dinner, girlfriend Molly has a low moment on why she can’t get a good man.

At work Issa gets herself into a little bit of trouble and ends up having to create a kids program that is different from what the non-profit is already doing. Later that night at a club, Issa makes her day worse by creating a rap called Broken Pu**y that ends up going viral.  If that isn’t enough, Issa shows up at ex-Daniel (Y’lan Noel) and oh do things get complicated.

Trying to make things work with Lawrence, Issa is also trying to make things go well at work. One of her programs is a Beach Cleanup Day that has the potential to go horribly wrong. Molly is busy trying to find a descent date using a dating app which causes a little bit of mayhem and mix ups.

Continuing to look, Molly has another date with Michael, a doctor who fits almost all of Molly’s must-haves in a man. Lawrence isn’t getting the attention from Issa and when friend Tasha does, he thinks he’s found a friend.

Not working out with Michael, Molly has moved on to Chris and can’t wait to take him to Diane’s engagement party. Issa has decided to turn to Daniel to find a way to get her night of rapping off of YouTube before her co-workers see it! He helps and then helps himself as Issa is now swept up in it all.

Trying to keep her head above water, Issa makes Lawrence breakfast and suggests they have a date night. Lawrence also has a job interview and wants Issa to know how much he appreciates her support but it’s only making Issa feel worse.

Molly’s had enough of the dating app and can’t seem to find a man that isn’t going through is own craziness. She finds herself drawn to Jared (Langston Kerman) but when he tells her something private about himself it sends Molly reeling with what to do next.

Issa is putting everything into her We Got Ya’ll fundraiser with co-worker Frieda (Lisa Joyce) and is equally thrilled when Lawrence is offered a job. That’s before Lawrence tells her he wants to work on his own app. Already nervous, Daniel shows up at the fundraiser and Issa knows she has to set everything right. It is Lawrence who wants to know what’s going on and when there is silence between them he takes his keys and leaves.

When things seems to be going wrong for both Issa and Molly in the man department, there tension filled friendship might be the only thing that keeps them from going nuts. Having a girls night they try to work out their issues with a hot tub and a few drinks.

When Issa gets a call from Lawrence, they decide to talk and Issa heads back to their apartment with bff Molly at the wheel. What she finds is nothing short of a shock!

Rae as Issa is thoughtful, hilarious, confused, strong and isn’t afraid to tell it like it is when pushed from the thoughts that fly out her mouth. She made my jaw drop a few times but then it was followed by laughter most of the time. Watching this character try to find the best way to handle her life is relatable on so many levels and I appreciate the life Rae is attempting to share.

Orji as Molly is also strong, hilarious, smart and confident – most of the time – but Jared sends her center off kilter. I enjoy the relationship she has with her bff Issa and when the two don’t see eye-to-eye I know it isn’t going to last, it can’t last because they are awesome friends. I loved Orji’s performance and am looking forward to season two very much.

Ellis as Lawrence is a man who wants to be self-sufficient but that’s difficult when girlfriend Issa wants something else. The disconnect between Lawrence and Issa made me sad actually because it is a disconnect based on two people who don’t really know what they want themselves let alone from one another.

Noel as Daniel is the one person who could make Issa’s life easier. Their friendship is pushed in a direction that neither should be going yet Daniel seems the type of man who gets what he wants – charm and all.

Kerman as Jared is a great guy who is the one person who seems to be sure of where he is and what he wants for his life. Sharing that one secret put Molly in a bad place which begs the question, should the game “tell me one of your darkest secrets” ever be played?

Joyce as Freida is a young woman who truly does want to do what’s best for kids who don’t have the best chances at success. Befriending Issa takes give and take on both their parts and watching Joyce relax a little gives me hope that her character can be explored more in season two.

The series is written, created and executive produced by Issa Rea and is executive produced by Prentice Penny and Grammy winning director Melina Matsoukas.

INSECURE has been nominated by the Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy and nominated by the NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Comedy, Outstanding Actress, Outstanding Supporting Actress, Outstanding Directing and Outstanding Writing.

The Bluray includes the episodes Insecure as F*ck, Messy as F*ck, Racist as F*ck, Thirsty as F*ck, Shady as F*ck, Guilty as F*ck, Real as F*ck and Broken as F*ck.

The Bonus Features of INSECURE: The Complete First Season include Conjugal Visits – an extended look at the INSECURE characters favorite reality show, Plus two behind-the-scenes Featurettes INSECURE: In the Room and On the Insecure Set with Issa Rae.

HBO Home Entertainment has an extensive array of critically-acclaimed and groundbreaking programs found on Bluray, DVD and Digital HD. They have provided viewers with some of the most amazing programs with huge fan bases that include the shows True Blood, Sex and the City, The Sopranos, True Detectives, The Wire, Entourage and Game of Thrones. Launched in 1984, HBO is world wide in viewed entertainment in more than 70 territories around the world! For more of what they have to offer please visit www.hbo.com.

INSECURE is a hilarious and even cutting look at stereotypes of black women in Los Angeles. What is even more interesting about this series is that there are situations that are relatable by most women. There are certainly situations that I could never imagine but even so this is a life we are all trying to get through so it’s nice to see how writer Issa Rae sees it playing out.

Gather up the girls and make it a pajama-popcorn-marathon night of laughs, love and the craziness of life with INSECURE: The Complete First Season on Bluray now.

In the end – it isn’t easy being flawless!